News Article

Approximately 100 veterans had initial interviews and 50 received on-site legal counseling. (Click picture to read related story.)

The American Bar Association honored a pro bono project of Womble Carlyle and the Young Lawyers Division of the North Carolina Bar Association with a national award.

The "When Duty Calls" project has earned the Service to the Public Award from the ABA. The project helps military veterans injured in the line of duty file claims to receive the disability benefits to which they are entitled. "When Duty Calls" is a collaborative effort of Womble Carlyle and the Young Lawyers Division of the North Carolina Bar Association.

"We are honored to serve those who have served us, and we are pleased the American Bar Association has recognized our work with the North Carolina Bar Association," said Tripp Greason, Womble Carlyle's Pro Bono Director. "We saw a vast and critical need and we decided to meet at least a small part of that need."

In order to receive disability benefits, a veteran must submit various documents, including medical records, to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The completeness and accuracy of the information contained in a veteran’s initial disability claim are crucial to its success.

Historically, veterans have had difficulty receiving service-connected disability benefits. In fact, until recently, a Civil War-era statute effectively prohibited them from hiring an attorney for assistance. As recently amended, the statute authorizes veterans to pay attorneys for assistance with disability benefits only after the initial stages of the process have been completed. Accordingly, “When Duty Calls” focuses on providing veterans with free legal assistance in navigating the initial phases of the disability process for the purposes of securing their benefits quickly and, should an appeal be necessary, maximizing their chances for success.

Former Womble Carlyle attorney Craig Cannon, one of the organizers of the "When Duty Calls" campaign, said the project has three goals: 

• To provide pro bono assistance to as many veterans as possible through an ongoing series of clinics; 
• To work with veterans and the VA to find ways to streamline and expedite the disability application process; and 
• To motivate attorneys to provide pro bono assistance to veterans.

"These veterans earned their disability benefits in service of our country. Any assistance we can give these men and women is justly deserved, and we are honored to help," Cannon said.

The firm hosted a May 23rd clinic for veterans in Raleigh organized by Tyler Mulligan. Approximately 75 Womble Carlyle attorneys, paralegals, summer associates, and staff members gave their time to assist with the clinic effort. Teams of attorneys, summer associates, and paralegals conducted initial interviews of approximately 100 veterans and provided on-site legal assistance to approximately 50 veterans.

Greason said the firm plans to expand "When Duty Calls” beyond the boundaries of North Carolina. Womble Carlyle's Washington, D.C., office hosted a successful clinic on Sept. 18th . That session included Womble Carlyle attorney Tim McClain, former General Counsel of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and served 30 veterans in need. Future clinics in other Womble Carlyle offices are planned. 

Click here for more information on Pro Bono

About Womble Carlyle

A full-service business law firm, Womble Carlyle ranks among AmLaw's 100 leading firms in the country and is a top law firm for companies doing business in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic states. The firm is a recipient of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Corporate Leadership Award, making Womble Carlyle the first law firm ever to receive the highest honor given to a business organization in recognition of its support of the Fund and its 45 member educational institutions.

Founded in 1876, Womble Carlyle operates in six states and the District of Columbia with nearly 550 attorneys in eleven offices located in Atlanta, GA; Greenville, SC; Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh, Research Triangle Park, and Winston-Salem, NC; Washington, DC; Tysons Corner, VA; Wilmington, DE; and Baltimore, MD. Womble Carlyle is located in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic regions, and draws its client base from across the United States.